All in One
by dragongirlG
Summary: ABANDONED. Everything you could ever want in one story: Harry, Dudley, Ron, Hermione, the Malfoys, and more.
1. Dudley Dursley's Curiosity

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

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All in One

By dragongirlG

Chapter One: Dudley Dursley's Curiosity

Dudley Dursley waddled into his Cousin Harry's room. He wasn't supposed to be here, but his parents had guests and his room was being repainted. Harry was in the bathroom. He looked around his cousin's room curiously, and his eyes fell upon a leather-bound book on the desk. He walked over and picked it up.

Opening the book to its inside cover, he saw the words_ To Harry, from Hagrid _inscribed upon it. As he turned the page, he saw something that scared him out of his wits.

There were pictures inside the book that were moving, all by themselves. The people were waving at him from inside the photographs. He looked at the pictures closely and saw a man that resembled Harry, with the same black untidy hair and glasses, and a red-haired woman with the same bright green eyes. They were Harry's parents. 

Dudley flipped through the pictures idly, recovering from the shock of the moving pictures. He knew he should have expected something strange or unusual in his cousin's possessions. His cousin was a wizard--a freak. No one knew what his powers could do.

A few minutes later, Dudley shut the photo album and glanced over the things in Harry's open trunk. Inside were the long black robes wizards wore, a gleaming, polished broomstick with the word Firebolt on its handle, and a long, silvery cloak. Dudley picked it up and felt it. The material had a texture of water, yet not water. The cloak dropped from his hand to the floor, lying in glittering folds.

The fat blond boy waddled around the room, examining objects occasionally. Several sheets of thick parchment were stacked up on the floor, and a pile of textbooks--he supposed they were textbooks, he didn't know there were any other possibilities of wizarding books--announced that the sheets were homework. Dudley picked a parchment up and read it.

__

Harry Potter

Veritaserum is a very strong potion that forces people to tell the truth. Just three drops of it can make one spill all their secrets. It comes in a crystal vial and is a clear liquid. Its use is strongly controlled by the Ministry, but in some cases, it is necessary for interviewing certain people accused of being criminals…

Dudley read some other essays then stacked the papers back up again, bored. He wondered if Harry would ever find out that he went into this room. Just as he was about to get up and leave, there was a horrified exclamation at the threshold of the door.

"Dudley?!"

It was Harry. 


	2. A Sleek Blonde Man

Thanks to electricbluecat for reviewing! You're awesome!

"Dudley?" Harry repeated. "What are you doing?"

"Er--I…" Dudley stammered.

"Yes?" asked Harry expectantly. "Were you trying to get me into trouble with your parents? I really don't need that right now. Enough of talking. _Get out_." He pointed towards the doorway.

"Why?" questioned Dudley. He knew he was messing around more than he needed to, but it was just so fun annoying his freak cousin. Besides, he wasn't finished exploring the room.

Harry didn't answer. Instead he began taking long strides towards his trunk, and when he had reached his destination, he pulled out the silvery cloak that Dudley had examined earlier.

"Wh-what are you going to do?" asked Dudley in a quavering voice. 

Still Harry said nothing. He pulled the cloak over himself--and disappeared. Dudley stared at the spot where Harry had been standing, his mouth agape. Suddenly he felt someone trying to push him to the doorway. He stood still, afraid to move.

"Dudley," he heard Harry hiss from behind him. "_Get out_."

"No," the blond boy said, planting his feet firmly onto the floor. "I haven't finished exploring." He waited for Harry's angry retort, but it didn't come. He heard his cousin move around the room and pick up the stick of wood lying on the bedside table. It suddenly pointed at him. 

"Now," Harry's voice said. The black-haired boy suddenly reappeared. "Dudley, do you even know what this is?" he asked.

"A--a wand?" Dudley guessed, trembling.

"Yes," Harry confirmed. "Now you see that it is pointed at you. What exactly does that mean?"

"You--you can't do magic when you're in the house anyway, you can't do anything to me--" Dudley protested.

"Who knows?" Harry asked with flaming green eyes.

"Your--your ministry will find out," the fat boy continued. "They know you're not allowed to do magic when you're not at school, H--whatever you call that place--"

"The Ministry," Harry snapped, "has more important matters on its hands. Now please get out." 

Dudley ran out of the room, frightened by Harry's anger. He wondered about the silvery cloak. It was obviously magical. But Harry wasn't allowed to use magic. How come that ministry hadn't sent him a letter about using that cloak yet?

The doorbell rang suddenly, and he heard his parents running to answer it. He stood behind his parents as the door opened. An icy voice came out of the gathering darkness.

"We're looking for Mr. Harry Potter."

Dudley's father froze. "Ex--excuse me? There's no one here by that name."

"Yes there is, _Muggle_," the voice spat contemptuously. "Move out of the way. I'm sure Potter wouldn't want anyone else to die on his account."

Mr. Dursley's eyes widened with fear, and he stepped back. Harry ran down the stairs with his wand in his hand. As soon as he spotted the visitor, he froze.

"What do you want?" Harry asked in a wrathful voice. 

The sleek, blond-haired man glanced at Harry with freezing gray eyes. "Hello, Potter," he said. "I am here to take you to my Master."

"Oh, really?" Harry asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "And why should I go to him? So I can be killed and he can start his domain over the entire wizarding world?"

"No, because I'm sure you don't want your Mudblood friend to die," answered the man. He snapped his fingers and two men in heavy black robes came to the doorstep, dragging Harry's brunette friend, who was unconscious.

Harry leapt back instinctively. "Hermione?" he gasped in horror.

"That's right," the man said, smirking. "Now either you come with me--or she dies."

"Let her go first," Harry snapped. 

"There is no time to waste, Potter. You come with me or my Master will come himself. I'm sure that you don't want your Muggle relatives here to die because of your stubbornness, now do you?"

Harry shook his head slowly, but his green eyes blazed. "Fine." He walked towards the man. The sleek blond quickly took out his own wand and muttered "_Stupefy_." Harry fell back unconscious. 

He then turned to the Dursleys. "You will also come," he said. They nodded, frightened. The last thing Dudley remembered was a red jet of light shooting towards him.


	3. The Prison Cell

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. 

Chapter 3: The Prison Cell

__

Harry! Harry! Wake up! These voices echoed inside Harry's head as his bright green eyes slowly flitted open. Deep, frightened brown eyes stared back at him.

"Hermione?" He asked slowly. His tongue felt like lead.

Hermione nodded faintly. "I'm sorry, Harry. I'm sorry I got you into this mess. I was so stupid, so careless...oh god, what are we going to do?"

"What happened?" Harry asked, slowly recovering himself. "How did we get here?" The black-haired boy looked around at his surroundings. Sheer stone walls with sharp edges gleamed back at him. In the corner he saw his relatives huddled together fearfully. "What are _they _doing here?" he asked, pointing at his family.

"Er...well...I don't know, I was just about to ask you the same thing," Hermione replied. Harry shrugged. She continued, "The most important question is, how do we--all of us, mind you, you can't leave the Dursleys behind--get out of here?"

Harry felt his scar briefly. "It's all right for now, but I don't think it will be later. Voldemort brought us here, or his Death Eaters, obviously. Who else would do this? Who else has a room like this?" He looked around at the cell again.

"Well..." Hermione had no answer.

Harry suddenly felt a small burning from his scar. "He's coming," the boy said shortly. "He's here."

Hermione realized that nothing could be done, and they sat down to wait in despair. Harry's pain increased as the Dark Lord came closer, and his frustration too.

Voldemort suddenly appeared in front of them, as if he had Apparated. Harry clutched his scar. Hermione shrank back in terror. Voldemort, the Dark Lord. She finally saw him and realized Harry's horror and grief from the third task of the Triwizard Tournament. A hairless, scaly creature, white as a skeleton but with flaming red eyes, stepped toward the two friends, smirking as he drew near.

"Mr. Potter," he hissed, as if he were a snake. "I see you have finally arrived. Ah, your friend too. Your contemptuous Muggle family also." He threw a glare at the Dursleys, who were still huddled in the corner. "Perfect, perfect. Delightful indeed." Harry tried to look up, but the pain in his scar and his recent grief prevented him.

"You," Voldemort said sharply, addressing Hermione. "Get up."

Hermione got to her feet, trembling.

"You're coming with me," the Dark Lord said. Before she could cry out, Voldemort grabbed the brunette's arm and vanished instantly. Harry looked up in horror.

"Oh, no. No." The black-haired boy said, shocked. He sank to the floor as the full extent of the preceding event sank down upon him. "Please no."

The Dursleys remained in the corner silently, watching their relative despair. Dudley moved forward hesitantly. "Harry..."

Harry looked up, eyes red with grief. "She'll die," he said in a quavering voice. "He hates her kind. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have been her friend. It'll happen to everyone." Harry's voice choked up. "It already did. Cedric. And now Ron, and the Weasleys, and even Cho. Because I was so fair...so just. It's all my fault. I should have learned to be tougher when I was little. You should have taught me. Oh, god." He covered his face in his hands again. "You should have taught me," he repeated in a muffled voice.

Dudley stared at him, not comprehending. He then moved quietly back to the corner and let Harry weep.

"Please don't die, Hermione. Please don't let him kill you," Dudley heard his cousin say quietly. "Be on your guard, Ron. I'm not there to help you anymore. Cho, forgive me for his death. Please just...everyone forgive me. For my stupidity."

Dudley turned away as Harry looked up and tears streamed down his face. "I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sorry."


	4. The Wizarding Teens

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Chapter 4: The Wizarding Teens

Hermione's mind whirled vaguely. What in the world was she doing? How could she be so stupid? So traitorous? She stared up unwillingly at Voldemort, looking at his evil red eyes. 

"My little Mudblood," the Dark Lord hissed, pleased with himself. "My dear, pretty Mudblood. So much like Lily. Friend of a Potter, studious, clever, and a beautiful treasure. I'm very pleased indeed."

Hermione stood silent, paralyzed with terror. 

"You will, of course, have better accommodations than that Potter boy," he told her. Sharply he called, "Lucius!"

Lucius Malfoy Apparated in front of the two. He bowed low, his sleek blond hair shining in the light of the lanterns along the hall. "Yes, My Lord?" he asked.

"Take this Mudblood to one of the rooms. See that she is comfortable," Voldemort ordered.

"Yes, My Lord." Lucius gripped Hermione's arm tightly, and the brunette cried out in pain. "Come on," he said roughly. He steered her down the hallway out of his master's sight. "You're wondering what happened, aren't you, you dirty Muggle-born? Worried about dear old Potter? You were the bait. We brought you to his house and he came. You are a stupid, foolish girl." He turned the corridor and entered another hallway. "You will be killed. It is inevitable." In a measured voice he added, "Potter will be forced to murder you."

Hermione's thought chased each other in her head. She shook her head, unable to contain herself. "He won't. He would never do it."

"Harry Potter, the great child," Lucius remarked. "Yet his will is not that strong."

"He's loyal. He's brave. He would die first before he killed anyone," Hermione replied. 

Lucius stopped in front of a sheer gray wall and took out his want. "_Expositus_," he ordered. A door appeared and swung open. "This is your room." Hermione went in and looked around. The door disappeared, leaving nothing but a wall. 

Hermione examined her surroundings more closely. It was a beautiful room, yes. Its silk furniture was all in shades of silver. Satin sheets covered the shimmering canopy bed. She sank into the soft mattress in grief and despair. "Let this be a dream," she murmured. "Let this be a nightmare."

She fell asleep amid tears of despair.

Harry had fallen asleep on the cold stone floor. The Dursleys were quaking with fear and uncertainty. Uncle Vernon moved his bulk over to where his nephew lay and shook him.

"Hmm?" asked Harry sleepily. "Go away, Ron." He turned over, shivering, trying to get into a more comfortable position. Instinctively he reached down to pull his covers up, but found that none were there. Consequently he opened his eyes irritably and sat up. "What?" he snapped. 

The Dursleys found nothing to say.

"Yes, I know we're captives and in a prison cell," Harry said, as if they had asked. 

"Harry, well…could you get us out of here?" Dudley asked fruitlessly.

"I'm not stupid, Dudley. If I could get us out—which I can't—don't you think I would have tried to already?"

"Well, I thought that everything happened so fast that you didn't have time to react." 

"Well, you're wrong."

There was silence after that. Harry leaned against the wall with his arms crossed while the Dursleys huddled together for familiar comfort. It seemed like there was nothing they could do. Harry eventually fell asleep again, but one second before he did, he sensed that something was going to happen, and it was going to be good.

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20 years earlier

James Potter sat waiting nervously in the garden of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He was waiting for his girlfriend, Lily Evans. Nervously he clutched a rose in his hand. It was a year's anniversary of their first date, and he wanted nothing to go wrong.

He spotted Lily coming out of the school's front door, her beauty dazzling his eyes in the twilight. The evening sunset played games with her shimmering red hair, and her green eyes, keen and clear, contrasted sharply with the setting. 

"Lily," James breathed, as she walked toward him. "You look…beautiful."

Lily smiled modestly. She was dressed in her school robes, as usual, but her loveliness stood out from the black clothing. "And you look great."

James held out the rose. "I got this for you," he offered. 

Lily took it. "Why, thanks. I'm sorry I was late. I had to look for these." She dug into her pocket and held up two gold rings with each an emerald-green stone, the same color as her eyes. They twinkled in the setting sun. "These are called Sensus Stones," indicating the green gems. "The couple who wears them will share a bond. When they feel happy, or loving, the gems will dazzle one's eyes. When one of the wearers feels sad, or dull, or depressed, the gem itself will dull."

James looked at the jewel. It was shining brightly. He took one of the rings from Lily and put it on, and Lily followed suit. The couple leaned forward for a kiss. As they broke apart, they found that their rings were stuck together. They both tugged and pulled, but were unable to take the rings apart.

"Why don't we"—suggested Lily, panting with the effort of pulling the rings apart—"with our other hand, pull the rings off each other at the same time?"

James nodded. Simultaneously the pair touched the green stones to pull them apart, and blackness fell over them instantly.


	5. Lily and James in the Future

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Chapter 5: Lily and James in the Future 

Lily landed on the floor outside a cold prison door. She looked around, looking for James, struck by a sudden premonition of fear. Without thinking she moved to the door and pressed her ear against it, wondering if anyone was in the room. She heard voices and listened closely.

"That dratted boy! He's fallen asleep again! After all that we have done for him, he can't even show us some appreciation by telling us what is happening!" A gruff voice sounded from the interior of the room. Lily disliked it as soon as she heard it. 

"Er…Dad…it's obviously something to do with his…abnormality, you know? We wouldn't have gotten into this mess if he wasn't...if he didn't have those _powers_." It was a teenage boy's voice, going through the changes of puberty. Powers probably meant…wait, was there a wizard in there?

"Oh, Vernon, what are we going to do?" a breathy woman asked from inside the room. Much to her surprise, Lily found that it sounded like her sister's voice. What in the world was Petunia doing there? Out of curiosity the younger sister knocked on the door.

The room became silent, and then Lily heard the sound of someone groaning, as if he had just woken up. "What?" It sounded like James, but that was hardly possible. James wasn't around here anywhere. Petunia hated James too.

"You, boy." It was the gruff voice again. "Go investigate that."

"Investigate what?"

"Over there," the gruff voice answered. Lily suspected that the man had pointed to the door's location. "There was a knock."

Lily heard the sound of footsteps coming from inside the room, towards the door, and retreated slightly out of instinct. "Hello?" A boy's voice called. "Anyone there?" The next phrase was so quiet—or perhaps the wall was too thick—"Anyone who is magical?"

"Yes," Lily replied with some strange difficulty. She felt a sudden, protective attachment to the speaker at the door. 

"Do you have a wand?" the boy, whose voice sounded like James, asked.

"Yes," she answered.

"Are you outside of a door? Because in here it's all walls."

"I'm outside of a door. Do you want me to do the _Alohomora_ spell? Who are you anyway? How do you know about magic?"

"I'm a wizard and Voldemort wants me dead. Is that satisfactory enough?"

Lily shuddered. Voldemort, the Dark Lord! Was he near? "All right," she agreed. "I let you out." She paused suddenly. "Wait—are there any wards on this place?"

"I don't know," the boy answered, sounding as if that had never occurred to him before. "If you know how to take any wards down, though, you'd better try that before you do the _Alohomora_ spell. Better safe than sorry, as they say."

Quickly Lily did all the de-hexing spells that she had learned in Charms and then opened the door. As the hinges creaked and the cell door swung open, however, she stepped back, shocked. At the threshold was a mirror image of James but with her eyes. The boy looked equally as stunned to find her standing there. The color drained suddenly out of his face and he looked sad and sick simultaneously. 

"Who are you?" she asked. 

James landed on the soft ground of someone's yard. He quickly drew himself up and dusted his clothes off. Presently he looked around. He was in a small village, a middle-class, typical type of village. It was similar to Hogsmeade, yet it wasn't Hogsmeade. A large sign of a pub could be seen about three blocks away, joke shops closed in on the small row of houses, and stores used for practical needs surrounded the community.

James glanced at the house whose yard he stood on. It seemed normal. There were cracked spots of paint here and there, but otherwise, it was perfectly fine. He decided to find out where he was and knocked on the door. Nobody answered. Apparently they weren't home. Being the marauder that he was, the sixteen-year-old boy went to the back of the house and snuck through the unlocked back door. Carefully he closed the door and explored his surroundings. The next room was a large room that seemed to be used as a study. A sturdy desk stood on the opposite wall, surrounded by papers and books. A quill and ink stand stood at the corner. He was in a wizard's house. Feeling more familiar to his location, James crept around the floor, not aware that the owner of the house was home. 

Suddenly the boy heard footsteps coming down the stairs. He looked around frantically for a hiding place, not wanting to get in trouble. James Potter never gets in trouble, remembering something he had told, smirking smugly, to his best friends. He could find no place and decided to turn around so that the person would not see his face. How he wished he had his Invisibility Cloak at the moment!

The owner of the house finally finished going down the stairs and walked into the room. At first they did not seem to notice the adolescent crouching in the corner in an attempt to hide, but then they suddenly realized that another person was there. 

"Sirius?" the man called. "What are you doing?"

James did not dare to move, but wondered how the man knew Sirius.

The man walked closer. "Siri—Harry!" he exclaimed. "How did you get here?"

James was confused. Who was Harry? The man's voice became stern. "Harry, turn around. How did you find this place? It's top-secret, a hide-out for me and Sirius."

"Harry, turn around." The voice was stern and commanding and James reluctantly swiveled around, keeping his eyes to the floor. 

"Harry, look at me. Don't be afraid. I have to get you back home, even if you hate your relatives. I won't tell Dumbledore, I promise, if you get back home in secret and safely."

Dumbledore? This man knew Dumbledore? His voice sounded familiar too. James looked up out of curiosity and, astounded, looked at an older version of Remus. "Remus?" he asked, straightening himself. "This is your house?"

The older Remus blinked. "Why, yes, Harry. If you want to see Sirius, I'll go get him if you want."

"Sure," James replied, wondering if Sirius was older too, and if he had traveled through time. Or maybe Remus's father was named Remus too, and Remus had never told them that he was a junior. As Remus went back upstairs, James turned his thoughts to ponder about who Harry was. Maybe his friends had made up some new nicknames for him in this future time period. Well, Harry wasn't such a bad name. He didn't mind.

Two sets of feet came down the stairs this time, and James, surprised, found himself looking at an older and serious version of Sirius. There was a haunted look in his best friend's eyes, something that looked like he would never completely recover from, and his face was grave, serious, and sad.

"Harry, how did you get here? You know you're supposed to stay at the Dursleys for the summer."

"Who…"

Sirius interrupted, suddenly recognizing his best childhood friend. "James!" he yelled, astonished.


	6. Family and Friends

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Chapter 6: Family and Friends

"Who are you?" Lily repeated, staring at the James replica. 

The boy stared at her speechlessly. "Who are _you_?" he echoed.

"Lily. Lily Evans," she answered.

"I'm…er…" the boy's voice trailed off. He stared at her again.

"Are you related to James?" Lily inquired. "You look just like him."

The boy blinked. "Yes," he replied, after a brief silence. "I'm…I'm his son."

Lily's mouth dropped open. "James has a son?!" she exclaimed, rather indignantly. 

The boy nodded.

"Who's your mother?" Lily added curiously. 

The boy took a deep breath. "You," he said.

"James…" he whispered. Sirius had turned very pale. "Harry," he started in a quavering voice, "if you think this is a very funny joke, it isn't. Remus and I are going to send you back to the Dursleys, and we're sorry that we have to, but it's for your own good—"

"Who's Harry?" James interrupted.

Sirius and Remus stared at him. "What's your name?" Sirius asked.

"James Potter."

"How old are you? Who's your girlfriend?" Sirius tested.

"Stop joking," James answered, startled by his friend's reactions to seeing him. "I'm sixteen years old and my girlfriend is Lily Evans. It's been a year since our first date."

"How did you get here?" Remus asked.

"I don't know. It's got something to do with this ring or the green stone that's on it." James held out his hand and showed his friends the emerald-green Sensus Stone. "I was in the garden waiting for Lily to celebrate the anniversary of our first date. I gave her a rose and she showed me these two rings. The rings were for a couple. I have one and she has one. When the couple feels happy, the gems will shine brightly. When one of the wearers feels sad, the gem will dull a little." 

Remus looked at the ring thoughtfully. "I've heard of those. They also show the location of the lovers to each other. Point your wand at the stone and say _Praebeo amor_ and it'll show where Lily is." 

James did so, and inside the stone appeared some mist, which began to swirl. After a few seconds it cleared, and James could see Lily standing in a long, dark, gray corridor, staring at a boy with messy black hair and glasses. He looked more closely and saw that the boy looked just like him, except that his eyes were the color of Lily's eyes. Lily had a stunned expression on her face. James watched as the boy pulled back his bangs to reveal a thin, lightning-bold shaped scar on his forehead. Tears were streaming down the boy's face, and James stared at him curiously. _Harry, _he thought suddenly. _That's Harry._ He tore his eyes away from the green stone and looked at Remus and Sirius, who were watching him expectantly.

"Harry's my son, isn't he?" James asked. "And Lily's his mother."

Ron Weasley stared out the window uneasily. Hermione hadn't replied to his letter for a week now, and he was getting worried. She usually replied every day, or every two days at most. Pig had come back without a letter, twittering excitedly as always, the little prat. Perhaps Hermione was on vacation again—_with Viktor Krum,_ Ron thought disgustedly and rather jealously. The red-haired boy refused to admit that he liked Hermione, but his twin brothers and his sister suspected that he did have a crush on his brunette friend. 

Ron was also worried about Harry. His famous best friend had not replied to him in about three days. Maybe his Muggle relatives had done something to him, but Ron didn't think that was the case. Something had happened to Harry…and Hermione. Perhaps his friends' lack of replies was connected somehow. He looked back at his desk, wondering if he should write another letter to one of them. Before he could, however, a snowy-white owl swooped into his room. It was Hedwig, Harry's owl, and she looked and sounded most distressed. 

"Shh, shh, Hedwig," Ron scolded, trying to calm her down. "What's the matter? Where's Harry?"

Hedwig landed on Pig's cage and gave out a distressed squawk. 

__

There's something wrong with this, Ron thought. _If Hedwig comes here with no letter, and Hermione doesn't reply for a week…maybe Harry's in danger—maybe the Death Eaters caught him; maybe You-Know-Who caught him and Hermione! _He took a deep breath and tried to calm down. "I have to do something," he told himself. "I have to find out what's up with this." 

He sat down at the desk and began to write up some plans. 

"Me?!" Lily cried, shocked. 

"Yes, you," the boy replied calmly. "Now, I think we better find a way out of here, because Voldemort's after me and I don't want you or me or even my relatives here to get killed." He gestured behind him, where a pink-faced, fat boy was watching fearfully. "Come on, Dudley," he called. "Go get your parents." The fat boy disappeared for a moment. "I'm Harry," the James replica added, as soon as the blond boy was gone. "Harry Potter."

Lily nodded in reply, not quite believing that she was this boy's mother. Yet…yet it seemed so right. So true, that she could be his mother, and that James could be his father…besides the looks, it seemed like Harry also had the personality of James and her, combined. "Why is Voldemort after you?" she asked curiously. 

"Hold on a moment," he answered. He stepped out of the doorway. "These are my relatives, they're Muggles, I hate them, they hate me, and yes, that is your sister."

Lily stared at the older version of her sister Petunia. "Petunia?" she asked. 

Petunia nodded, scowling.

"Okay," said Harry, after a tense silence filled with unspoken sibling rivalry. "Voldemort is after me because, well, when I was a baby, he tried to kill me. But he couldn't because--" Harry stopped for a moment and his eyes filled with tears. "He couldn't because you're my mother and you died to protect me out of love and my father, James, was already dead, and since you died to protect me Voldemort couldn't kill me and that's how I got this scar." The tears were streaming down his face as he lifted up his bangs and showed her a thin, lightning-bolt shaped scar on his forehead. "And he's been after me for about four years ever since he regained his power."

Lily attempted to comfort him with a hug. "Come on, Harry," she said, and the mother and son finally embraced each other as living beings. "It's all right." 

"Thanks, Lily," he whispered. 

The two stood up and, with the Dursleys following behind, made their way down the corridor in search of Hermione.


	7. Draco Malfoy

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Chapter 7: Draco Malfoy

It was night when Ron finally made up his mind. He would take one of the family broomsticks, pretend to send a letter to Harry, and follow Hedwig's route on the broom. She would take him to Harry, because owls always managed to send letters to someone; he didn't know how they did it, but they did. He had written a quick letter to Harry asking him what was happening and had left a hurried note to his family on his desk, explaining what he was doing and the reasons for doing it. The smallest Weasley boy knew he would get in trouble for sneaking out like this, and that when he got back, his mother would scold him for taking action of this plan and tell him he ought to have asked the government for help, but it wasn't as if Fred and George hadn't done it a billion times before. Plus, they hadn't got in that much trouble back in second year for stealing the car, because Harry had been at the house. And if Harry were back here—which was what Ron most certainly thought would happen, he would bring Harry back from the Dursleys because they were making him suffer again, like in second year—then his mum wouldn't get mad about it, because he had brought Harry back. He had shaken off the possibility of Voldemort long ago, classifying it as paranoid and overprotective. 

Shaking his head to clear himself from fearful thoughts, he tied a letter to Hedwig's leg, jumped on the broomstick, and sailed out the window, following the snowy owl, into the starry night. 

The first thing Harry noticed as he walked down the dungeon corridor was the ring on Lily's finger. The green gem attached to the gold band was the same color as her and his eyes, and it seemed like the jewel contained some kind of mist. He wondered what it was and where she had got it from, and wondered what its powers were. "Lily, what's the ring for?" he asked, as the thoughts unraveled in his head.

Lily glanced at it suddenly, remembering it strangely. The date with James in the garden seemed so long ago, yet it was the reason she was here. "It's a ring with a Sensus Stone," she answered. "They're for couples. I gave one to James. When one of the couple feels sad or depressed, the gem will dull a little, but when one or both of the couple feels happy or in love, the gem will dazzle. James and I had a date tonight. When we were done…er…kissing, the stones were stuck together. We tried to pull them apart, and when we touched them at the same time, blackness fell over me, and I ended up here." She looked around at her surroundings, noticing their vastness for the first time. "Do you have any idea where we are, by the way?" 

"I think we're in Malfoy Manor," Harry replied. His face was strangely set in a bitter, competitive look. "Death Eater headquarters—you know what Death Eaters are, right?" he said, glancing over at her.

"Yeah, Dark Wizards who follow Voldemort," she told him. "I suspected Malfoy's family was included."

Harry nodded. "We have to find Hermione, my Muggle-born friend," he told her. "She was captured as bait for me. Lucius Malfoy came to my relatives' house and threatened to kill her if I didn't come with him. The Death Eaters Stunned me and Hermione and my relatives and I woke up here. Then Voldemort came and took Hermione somewhere, some place in this house. We have to go get her and then try to escape." 

Lily nodded and understood. It wasn't the greatest plan, but what else could you do in this situation? Neither Harry nor she knew what kind of place this was, if there were wards on the doors or hallways, whether there were Death Eaters or Voldemort around, and other geography of the manor. She looked at Harry and said, "Harry, do you know where Hermione is? At all?"

He shook his head. "I can tell if Voldemort's coming, though. My scar hurts when he comes near."

"Okay," Lily replied, not knowing what to say.

Harry stopped suddenly. His face was white. "Oh no," he whispered.

Someone was coming down the hallway that they were passing through. The person's shiny blond hair gleamed from a distance as he or she got closer and closer to their location. As the person drew nearer Lily could distinguish a blond boy, almost an exact copy of the odious Lucius Malfoy she knew, smirking. The boy finally reached them and his smirk grew wider.

"Well, well," he sneered. "What have we here? Potter…his Muggle dirt…and a pretty girl. Makes for an interesting encounter." He turned to Lily. "You," he said sharply. "What's your name?"

Harry interrupted. "It's none of your business what her name is, Malfoy," he answered. "Where's Hermione?"

"Ah, the little bushy-haired Mudblood. I didn't know she was staying here. Potter, it _is_ my business what this girl's name is; it is my duty to escort guests in or out of my own house. I'm just being a good host." Draco Malfoy smirked smugly. "But then again," he added, "I suppose you've never been a host, living with those filthy Muggles your whole life."

Lily felt anger stirring up inside of her. The Lucius carbon copy had no right to call this Hermione a Mudblood. She herself was a Muggle-born. Plus he had insulted Harry's family, which he had no right to do either, even if they might be horrible. "My name's Lily," she answered. "Lily Evans."

"Well, Lily Evans, what are you doing here with Potter? I can help you choose the right sort to go about with and give you some high-class friends. You don't need to be hanging out with this filth." He spat at Harry's feet.

Lily's eyes flashed angrily. "I've already met Harry and think he's a wonderful boy," she snapped. "You're very rude."

Malfoy looked between Lily and Harry. "Taught her what you did already, Potter? It's a pity. She's quite a pretty creature."

Lily looked at Malfoy disgustedly. He continued to stand there, smirking, when suddenly he grabbed Lily's arm.

"You're coming with me," he hissed. Lily struggled to break free from his grasp. 

"No!" she cried.

Harry rushed forward and took hold of Malfoy, trying to break his grasp. "Let her go," he yelled, fighting with Malfoy. "Let her go!"

Malfoy smirked and reached with his other arm into his pocket. He took out his wand. "_Stupefy,_" he muttered.

Harry fell unconscious. Lily stared in horror and took out her wand, but Malfoy was too quick. "_Expelliarmus!_" he cried. Her wand flew out of her hand. The Dursleys stood watching in fear as Lily struggled, harder than ever, to break free. 

"Come on, Ms. Evans," Malfoy said sweetly. "I'm taking you to meet my father."

The Dursleys stood silent with shock as Lily was dragged away, unable to do anything about Harry, who lay unconscious on the floor. 


	8. Many Meetings

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Chapter 8: Many Meetings

Ron had been flying for ages now, but Hedwig still wasn't done. She seemed very certain where the recipient of the letter was, and more frantic as she neared a big, castle-like manor. She flew to one of the windows and tried to get in, but the window was shut. 

"Shh, Hedwig," Ron whispered. He took out his wand and pointed at the glass. "_Alohomora!_" The window opened and Ron flew in carefully. It was a large room, much bigger than his or Harry's, and the furniture was made of beautiful satin. Ron landed looked around uneasily. Where was he? Malfoy Manor? He suspected so. Hedwig landed gently on his shoulder. "All right," he whispered. "What now?" He saw a bed in the corner of the room. Someone was sleeping in it! It was a girl, and she didn't have the covers pulled up. She was on top of the sheets. As quietly as he could, he walked toward the bed, and saw, much to his surprise, Hermione. Had Hedwig taken him to Hermione's house? This didn't seem like the type of house she would be in. 

"Hermione," he hissed, his voice thundering in the darkness. "Hermione, wake up." She didn't move. Ron moved closer to the bed. Hermione's face was illuminated with moonlight, and Ron felt uneasily attracted to her. She was beautiful. "Hermione," he hissed, a little louder and more frantically. "Hermione, wake up!"

Hermione's eyes flew open and she sat up suddenly, her bushy hair sticking out at all angles. "Ron!" she gasped, seeing him. "Ron, what are you doing here?!" She seemed very alarmed. 

"Hermione, where are we?" Ron asked. 

Hermione put a finger to her lips. "Shhh," she hissed. "Not so loud." She lowered her voice down to a whisper. "We're in Malfoy Manor, Ron. I was captured and used as bait for Harry. Harry's down in the dungeons. I can't get out of this room. I don't see any doors or windows. Do you?"

Ron looked around, and much to his surprise, found that the window that had let in the moonlight had disappeared. "Well…there was a window to my right, but it's not there anymore. Or I can't see it, at any rate."

"Try the _Alohomora _spell," Hermione told him. "The window might open." 

Ron did the spell, and heard something opening outside of the wall, but no window appeared. He told Hermione this and she sank down on the bed. 

"I don't know, Ron," she replied, as tears started to ride down her cheeks. "I can't think right now. What's Hedwig doing here? Did you send a letter to me or something?"

"No, I sent a letter to Harry," Ron answered. "And she brought me here. That was my plan. Harry hadn't replied to my letters for a while, and Hedwig arrived at my house, very distressed, so I pretended to send a letter to Harry, jumped on a broomstick, and followed Hedwig. I ended up here." 

Hermione smiled wanly. "That's great, Ron. You're a great person." 

Ron stared at her, but was distracted by Hedwig. She flew toward the direction of the window—and straight through the wall. "It's an illusion, isn't it, Hermione?" Ron asked, turning back to her. "I just discovered. Hedwig flew through the wall. There must be a window there. It's just an illusion."

Hermione nodded. She had seen it too. "Quick," she told Ron. "Do all the de-hexing spells that you know. Then we can get out of here and go to Harry."

Ron fumbled with his wand and did all the de-hexing and de-warding spells he knew—which were very few—and then mounted the broomstick and let Hermione hold on to his waist. They flew through the wall and out into the open sky. Ron and Hermione rode through the night in pursuit of Harry. 

James waited for Remus and Sirius to answer. "Isn't he?" James repeated. "Isn't Harry my son?" He saw Remus and Sirius exchange glances. "Well?" he asked impatiently.

"I suppose it won't hurt to tell you the truth," Remus said, letting out a deep breath. "He is. And Lily's his mother."

James nodded. "I thought so. How are we going to get to them?"

"Did you identify the place they were in?" Sirius asked.

"No…well, I first suspected Malfoy Manor. I think that's where they are," James answered. "We could pretend to send a letter to Malfoy and then follow the owl and get to them."

Sirius looked uneasy. "It's not that simple, James," he told him. "Malfoy Manor is guarded. By hexes, and spells, and all sorts of things…"

"I have a wand," James argued. "I could go myself. I'm dead anyway, aren't I? So it wouldn't hurt to go."

"I guess…" Remus said hesitantly. "I don't know," he said briefly. "It's dangerous, and it'd change the past if you died or got seriously injured. I say we send a letter to Dumbledore. I don't think you should go. Harry is smart, and Lily is smart. They could get out themselves."

James had felt a little angry at Remus, but something told him Remus was right. "Yeah," he sighed. "You're right."

"No, he's not," Sirius interrupted. "Remus, I didn't tell you the story yet, but Harry isn't safe outside of his home. Lily's in danger and Harry especially is. We can't leave him in Malfoy Manor!"

"Okay," Remus responded, looking alarmed. "We'll go find Harry and Lily. We'll use James's plan."

James smiled. "All right. The Marauders return. Oh, and where's Peter, by the way? The Marauders wouldn't be complete without him."

Sirius's and Remus's eyes widened. "He's…not here," Remus stammered. "He's not here."

"Where is he then?" James looked suspicious.

"We don't know," Sirius said. "We haven't contacted him for a while." 

James shrugged. He didn't have time to worry about Peter right now. He had to get to Lily and Harry.

"James, you and I will go. Remus will stay in the house in case any messages come or anything," said Sirius.

"Right," he agreed. 

A few minutes later, James and Sirius were on broomsticks, riding, like Ron and Hermione, in the dark night sky.

Lily slapped at Malfoy's hand as he dragged her away. "Let go of me, you brat," she snapped. Malfoy smirked and gripped her arm tighter, taking her farther and farther away from Harry. "Let GO!" she yelled, and, with a great effort, pulled her arm out of his grasp. She snatched her wand out of his hand and ran toward Harry's direction as fast as she could. She could hear the Malfoy boy coming after her. "_Stupefy!_" she cried wildly, pointing her wand behind her. She heard someone fall, but didn't dare to look back. Finally reaching Harry (and the Muggles, who seemed to have turned into stone,) she pointed her wand at him, and said, "_Ennervate._" His eyes fluttered open and he sat up upon seeing her.

"Lily! You're here. Thank God." He raised himself shakily. "I thought Malfoy had gotten you." 

"No, I Stunned him," Lily told him. "Come on, we have to get out of here. Come on," she said to the Dursleys. "There's a door at the end of the hallway."

They walked down the long passageway, leaving Malfoy's body on the floor, until they finally reached the door. It wasn't locked and they went through it to find a set of winding stairs. After that there were two wings: left and right. They took the right and opened the door to the first room. It was filled with satin furniture. The bed sheets were mussed, as if someone had been sleeping there. Harry looked around strangely. "Maybe Hermione was here," he thought out loud. There was a window across the room. Moonlight was coming through it. 

Lily looked out the window. "Wait—what's that?" She pointed to a black figure coming closer and closer. It looked like a broomstick with someone on it. She stepped away from the window as someone flew into the room. "James!" she exclaimed.

Harry stepped forward out of the shadows, astonished. "James?" he echoed.

James Potter bowed. "At your service." Lily smiled. Another figure was coming in behind James. It was Sirius.

"Well, Sirius, how nice to see you," said Lily. "On another Marauder adventure? I know what you do when you and the rest of the boy's dormitory disappear each night." She winked. Harry's eyes widened. 

"Sirius!" He ran forward to hug his godfather. Sirius hugged him back and laughed. 

"I should have known I would find you here," Sirius remarked. "Just the sort of thing you would do—or, rather, James would do. Get out of prison and go for the luxury." 

Harry laughed abruptly. "Have you seen Hermione when you were flying around out there?" He watched as a small owl flew down on Sirius's shoulder. 

Sirius shook his head. "She's here?" he asked. Harry nodded.

"She was used as bait for me," he told him in a low voice. "That's why I'm here." 

Sirius looked worried. "We have to find her then," he said.

"Yeah. Can I ride with you?" Harry already seemed to have a plan in mind. "We'll all fly on the broomsticks around the Manor and look through the windows."

They did not, however, need to do that. At that very moment, Ron and Hermione rode in through the window.

"Ron," Hermione whispered in his ear. She felt unsafe riding around in the sky, open and exposed. "Ron, I think we should go back."

"Go back?" he whispered back. "Are you crazy?"

"I'd feel safer there, crazy as it sounds," she told him. "We just don't have any clue where we're going. We can't get in through the bottom of the Manor. The only way we can get through is through that window."

Ron knew Hermione was usually right. "Are you sure about this?" he asked.

"Yeah," she whispered. 

Ron flew back to the window and into the room. Some people were in there. He was just about to turn around and fly away as fast as he could, but someone called him. 

"Ron!" Harry called.

Ron landed and went over to Harry. He recognized Sirius and the Dursleys in the background, but two other people were there too. Hermione stood next to the window. The moonlight illuminated her face.

"Well, isn't this one big happy family," Ron commented. "Sirius? How did you get here?"

"Same way you apparently did," Sirius answered. "Broomstick."

"There are three broomsticks here," Hermione told him. "Someone else rode with you."

"I did," James answered. He faced Hermione. Her eyes widened, and grew bigger as she looked at Lily. 

"My parents," Harry introduced.. 

Hermione stared at him, then turned back to James and Lily. "Nice to meet you guys."

"I'm James," said James, introducing himself.

"I'm Lily," the red-haired girl said, following suit.

Hermione smiled. "Let's go." 

Harry walked to the wall where the door had been and, using Lily's wand, whispered "_Alohomora._" It swung open, leaving the open passageway for the travelers to use. The Potters, the Dursleys, Ron, Hermione, and Sirius all walked down the hallway, silent and thoughtful. What was to come, none knew; but it was an encounter none of them would ever forget.


	9. A Marked Beetle

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Chapter 9: A Marked Beetle

Sirius and Harry were in the lead, with James and Lily close behind. Ron and Hermione followed. The Dursleys were at the rear, held back from rebelling by fear and awe. _My sister's alive,_ Petunia thought, not quite sure how to handle the information. _She's from the past. Sixteen years old. I wonder how…what will happen? Wizards and witches, all of them, in front of us. _She looked at her son and husband. They had the same build and features. Dudley and Vernon, she thought, attempting affection for the two. She found none. Instead, she found disgust at what she had produced, and repulsiveness at her taste. _What's happening to me?_ she asked herself.

Harry, in the front of the line, suddenly stopped. Sirius stared at him. "What is it?" the godfather asked. Harry pointed at the floor. A beetle. "Yeah?"

"Hermione," Harry ordered, without turning his head, "come here." Hermione pushed her way up.

"What is it?" she asked. Harry continued pointing. The brunette gasped and gently cupped the beetle in her palm. It tried to get away. "Rita Skeeter," she stated, her voice marked by disgust. 

Sirius' eyes widened, then a harsh laugh came from him. "So that's how…"

Hermione nodded. "She's an Animagus. A beetle. You can recognize her by the markings around her eyes."

Sirus looked closely, and saw that the markings were the same as the glasses that the human Rita wore in real life. He nodded and asked, "Should we transform her?" The beetle was attempting to get out of Hermione's cupped hand. Hermione nodded and told him, "Get Lily and James to help. You're the only one advanced enough to do this spell." Petunia shivered at the last word. Sirius called his teenage friends to come and help him.

"Who is it?" Lily asked.

"You'll find out," Hermione answered.

"Ready?" Sirius asked. "One…two…three…GO!" A single spell flashed from all three wands, and a blue light erupted in the center of the now-formed circle. Petunia covered her mouth to prevent from screaming. Vernon and Dudley watched, terrified. Ron, Harry, and Hermione looked on calmly. The beetle was now growing limbs—the wings were disappearing—taller, taller, until, finally! Rita Skeeter stood there in magenta robes, her perfect hair mussed, her glasses fixed on her face, and the infamous acid-green quill in her hand. She scowled.

"You!" Lily and James cried at the same moment.

"Rita Skeeter," Lily said. "I should have known."

The libelous reporter looked around. She took out a sheet of parchment and placed her quill to the paper, but Harry gripped her arm tightly and lifted it away.

"Harry!" Rita cried in a phony, affectionate manner. "Now, Harry, if you would be so kind, could you tell me—"

"Shut up," Harry snapped. Rita's eyes widened. 

"Why, Harry, is this any way to treat the person who helped you become famous?" Rita asked.

"Famous!" Harry spat. "Famous! I didn't want to be famous! I was already famous before you came along. And then you wrote all those lies about me. What else have you written, huh, without finding out the facts?"

"Harry, let go." Hermione pried Harry's fingers of Rita's arm gently. Rita looked triumphant. 

"So, you two are girlfriend and boyfriend?" she asked. She put the quill once more to the parchment. "What shall I say?" Before the quill could move, however, it was knocked to the floor by Sirius. Rita saw him and cried, "Sirius Black, the murderer!" She saw Lily and James and acted fearful. "Have you come back to avenge him, my dear ghosts? To avenge your murder? Or you!" She turned to the Muggles. "To avenge him for leaving you with poor Harry. Black, what have you done?"

"SHUT UP!" Harry yelled, but the damage was done. James and Lily backed away from their childhood friend. 

"Sirius, tell me this isn't true," James whispered. Lily had tears in her eyes.

"Mum, Dad—" Harry intervened. 

"No, Harry," Lily spoke to him firmly. "We want to hear this from Sirius himself." 

Rita's eyes were darting around wildly, and in a flash, she had transformed back into a beetle. 

Hermione gasped. "Watch out!" She grabbed Ron's wand and aimed carefully. "_Stupefy!_" She yelled the first thing that came to her mind. The beetle lay still. Carefully she picked it up and put it back in the jar. The group was silent. 

After a long moment, Harry said quietly, "Sirius didn't kill my parents. It was Peter." He waited for his parents' reactions and found only shock. Then he turned around. "Come on," he said. "We have to move on." He led the group, which was in a solemn silence. Sirius bent down and whispered in his ear.

"Thank you, Harry." Harry smiled at his godfather and continued walking.


	10. Rebel with a Cause

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Chapter 10: Rebel with a Cause

"Draco!" Lucius Malfoy kneeled down at his son's side. "_Ennervate._"

Icy gray eyes, identical to his own, fluttered open. "Father!" he gasped, sitting up quickly. "I--" He looked down, ashamed, and rubbed his head. "I'm sorry." 

"Tell me what happened, Draco," said his father coldly.

"I met Potter when I was coming out of the dungeons. He had his family with him, and this girl. She looked our age, but I'd never seen her before. Red hair, and green eyes like Potter's. Her name was Lily Evans. I Stunned Potter and took her. I was going to take her to you. She cared for Potter very much. And then she…and then she*" He couldn't admit such a stupid thing to himself.

"And then she Stunned you," Lucius finished, trying to hide his alarm. _Lily Evans, later known as Lily Potter. But she was killed!_

"Yes--but I took her wand! She grabbed it out of my hand and did it."

"Indeed," said Lucius, standing up carefully. Draco looked at him fearfully. "I will report this to our Lord. You go find the Mudblood--if Potter escaped, then he would have taken her with him. She should be staying in the first room of the east wing, the Silver Room. If she is gone, report at once to me. I will be in the study. Notice if there are any hexes broken." Draco nodded and scampered off. _My son would not lie_, thought Lucius. 

With a swish of his black robes, he headed toward his study to inform his master.

Draco ran along the familiar corridors of his home. _The Silver Room--that has an opening hex on it--_Expositus_--_

He reached the second floor, panting, and walked to the east wing. _First room._

The door was open, and the room was empty. Through the window, moonlight shone defiantly onto the monochromatic furnishings. Draco frowned. He had never remembered a window in this room. _Another hex broken?_ he asked himself. He walked around the room, examining it carefully. The sheets were ruffled. The Mudblood must have fallen asleep there. On the floor were tiny splinters of wood. 

_Broomsticks. Someone rode through the window and came in. _"But how?" he thought aloud. _Potter and the girl had only wands, unless they transformed something into a broomstick. A Transfiguration wouldn't be messy, though. _

His father wouldn't be stupid enough to put a prisoner in a room with a window either. The window must have been hidden. That was why he didn't remember it. _And a person inside wouldn't be able to see that. Only a person outside would. _So, someone flew in from the outside. But why was the door open? The easiest thing to do would be to fly back out. 

__

Potter had only two wands, and you need something for transfiguration…unless the girl had something in her robes. Yes, that's it. They transfigured things into broomsticks and escaped.

He hurried to his father's study. "Father," he said, opening the door. He bowed in front of Voldemort, hiding his fear of the wizard. "My Lord. The Mudblood is gone. I found splinters on the floor of the room, and the door was open. Potter, I believe, transformed things into broomsticks. The other girl--Lily Evans--must have had something in her robes. They have escaped. They could not have got far," he added apprehensively, fearing the wizards' wrath at this failure. "It will be easy to spot them in the clear night sky. My Lord, I apologize." He kneeled down at Voldemort's feet with his head bowed. 

....And caught the sound of footsteps next to the study. He stiffened and got up silently, taking out his wand. 

"Mr. Potter." Draco left the room and sided up next to Lucius, smirking, not revealing his astonishment at the large group he saw. Potter and Granger were there, of course, with the girl Lily and Potter's Muggle relatives. However, the _Weasley_ was standing next to them, and the werewolf Lupin was there as well. There were other people Draco did not recognize: a man who stood next to Harry protectively, a hand on his shoulder, and what looked like a replica of Potter but with different eyes. All of the group had their wands out, except the Muggles and the Mudblood. Draco noticed a jar and a beetle in her hand. _Rita Skeeter!_ he thought, remembering the pesky but useful reporter from the most recent semester. 

Voldemort came to stand behind him, and he struggled to maintain his composure. Being close to the dark wizard always frightened him, but he tried not to show it. He remembered the first lesson his father had taught him: "To show fear is to be weak." And he could not disappoint his father. 

"James Potter," hissed Voldemort, "and Lily Potter. What a pleasant surprise." 

Draco's eyes widened. Lily Potter, Harry Potter's _mother?_ But she was dead! So was James Potter, who Draco supposed was the replica of Harry. How...?

"This is between you and me," Harry said, facing Voldemort as he tried to suppress the quavering in his voice from the pain of his scar "Let's duel. If I win or lose--let them go. You want me, you've got me. Just let…just let the others go." He looked down and gasped, then looked back up, his eyes watery. "Let's duel," he repeated, and this time his voice trembled. 

Voldemort laughed, high-pitched echoes ringing around the hallway. "Very nice, Harry," he whispered. "So upright. So _good_." He pointed his wand at Harry. "_Expelliarmus,_" he whispered, and grinned as Harry stared at his empty hand, stunned. "Let's _not_ duel," said Voldemort. 

Harry stared at him blankly. 

"Brother wands," Voldemort hissed, his red eyes flaring at the memory. "I can't risk _that_ again." He moved closer to Harry, who took a step away from the group and clenched his fists. 

Ropes sprang out suddenly from Voldemort's wand, knocking Harry to the ground. He struggled against his bonds. Voldemort stood over him with a fascinated look, as if Harry were an earthworm that he was torturing. "Let's not duel," he whispered gleefully. With the flick of his wand, he slammed Harry against the wall. Harry let out a little cry of pain and slid down to the floor, trying to free himself desperately. Voldemort brushed his cheek lightly with thin white fingers. 

"It hurts, Potter, doesn't it? Just like you hurt me fourteen years ago." 

"Let them go," he spat. "Take me--"

"Shut up," hissed Voldemort, kicking him over. He turned to face the stunned crowd. Remus was restarining a livid, trembling Sirius. Ron, Hermione, James, and Lily looked over at Harry worriedly, and the Muggles shifted from foot to foot uneasily. 

The jar in Hermione's hand exploded suddenly, and shards of glass flew everywhere, cutting her palm. The beetle flew away quickly. Voldemort smiled, pleased. Physical pain was the best from of punishment. Hermione gasped and looked at her freely bleeding hand. 

"See the blood that has tainted the world," Voldemort hissed, glaring at her. She said nothing, but gritted her teeth and pulled herself up. 

The fat blonde boy looked over at Harry, who caught his eyes and mouthed "RUN!" 

Voldemort followed the gaze. "Boy!" he snapped. "I told you to shut up." He went to Harry conjured a gag, which stuffed itself in Harry's mouth violently. Harry choked. 

"Which one shall go first?" Voldemort mused. "Draco," he ordered, "come here." 

Draco took a tentative step forward. He had been watching the one-sided fight with an unfamiliar sense of pity. Nobody deserved to be treated like that, not even the Mudblood. At school there had always been brawls, but never something that drew blood and hurt someone so terribly. He glanced at Hermione's bloody hand quickly before bowing in front of Voldemort.

"My Lord, what do you command?" How tired he was of saying this. A spark lit his eyes, but he quickly extinguished it. Now was not the time to be rebelling. "Sir?" He looked up at Voldemort. 

"Turn around," the Dark Lord ordered, "Tell me which one you hate." 

"I hate all of them, sir," Draco answered, surveying the members. His eyes stopped on the man that the werewolf was holding back? His face looked familiar, but Draco could not place him. 

"The one you hate the most," Voldemort encouraged. "Potter's closest friend, perhaps, or the one you think would be the greatest danger to me."

Draco hesitated. He had never wanted to kill anyone except Potter in his life. Not even Weasley, in their hot-tempered brawls at school, or Granger, who had stunned instead of angered him with that slap in third year. He did not know the rest very well. _Which one is least needed?_ he asked himself. _The Muggles._

"Do the Muggles count?" Draco asked, stalling for time.

"Do not play games with me, Draco," Voldemort snapped impatiently. "I want a challenge, a warning to all the others. The Muggles are ignorant of magic. They do not even believe in it."

"Hurry, Draco," Lucius ordered frigidly. 

Potter's voice rang through his head: _No, let them go…take me*_

"Potter," he answered, looking straight ahead. "I hate Potter." He paused. "And no one else." 

Lucius gripped his son's shoulder and dragged him to the wall, opposite Harry. Draco stared at Harry's emerald eyes, filled not with hate, but with pity. 

"Draco," Lucius hissed, "what are you doing? He means for you to choose from the group."

"I know, Father. I'm not stupid."

Lucius looked ready to hit him. "You are being so right now," he seethed. "Go--now--say a name. Do not do this to me now, Draco."

Draco shook his father's hand off his shoulder defiantly. "Fine." He walked over to Voldemort, who had been watching the encounter between father and son amusedly. 

"My father," Draco told him, staring into the depthless red eyes. "I hate my father."

A/N: Please read and review. I would like to know if you want me to continue the story. Thanks!


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